Since that day
by Fireflyhiro
Summary: The girl who's body was never recovered... Manami Uchiha returns to the hidden Leaf at the age of 16 and it's Kakashi's mission to keep an eye on her, but their relationship twists and changes everything becomes more than a mission. Will follow Shippuden and involves some new plot for Manami.
1. Kakashi's Mission

It has been a particularly long mission, 3 weeks searching for a village that had existed for decades yet had never been found. Rumours had surfaced to the village hidden in the leaves and prompted the disruption of one, Kakashi Hatake. It had taken him a few days to travel there to find nothing, but he did not give up and continued search to find ruins. If a village had been there, it was there no longer and Kakashi knew he must return home.

The weather had been good to him on his trip, the sun constantly shining upon him, with occasional cloud covering at night to cool things down so he could sleep peacefully enough.(With one eye open, most of the time.)

But he was grateful as he saw the familiar giant gates that opened his home to him. he desired nothing more than to review his findings to his Hokage and slump on his bed, enjoy his passions and catch up with friends, once he had rested.

He could not help but notice the odd glances some of his fellow shinobi gave him as he saunted down the paths of Konoha. Suspicion aroused his interests and his pace increased, to both find the cause and avoid the looks.

The red building before him was quiet, it was late and the hustling shinobi that worked within the walls had probably finished for the day and returned home, something he looked forward to himself. He was defiantly tired he realised as each step he took up the winding staircase seemed more difficult than usual, although his mission had been uneventful to say, he still desired rest.

He stood outside the Hokage's door a moment, gathering himself ready to debrief and go home. He knocked twice before a voice called him in. Pushing the door aside he took in the room, it was always the same, it was just in his nature.

Lady Tsunade sat at her desk, slumped tiredly as usual at this hour with Shizune stood to her left as always, although this time the pet pig was not nestled in her arms. A new form stood in front of the blonde however, a young teenage form with short black hair that flicked out a little at each end, like Sasuke's had and this person donned a T-shirt with a high collar that covered up to the person's neck, like Sasuke's had...

Kakashi, without thinking had blurted out Sasuke's name questionably...

Perhaps this is why some of the Shinobi comrades had looked at him strangely, his old student had returned to the village whilst he had been away. Oh, how Naruto would be pleased.

Alas, a female turned round and Kakashi looked over her with a disappointed twang in his heart. he had not realised until his disappointment the joy he had briefly felt at the possibility of the young uchiha's return. The female smirked at Kakashi, she too seemingly eying him although her eyes looked bland and disinterested, perhaps irked at being mistaken for a boy.

"Not quite..."

Her voice was like verbal silk and Kakashi visible eye tried not to look so surprised. Two words she had muttered and yet her voice sounded almost seductive. Damn his tiredness.

"Kakashi... Welcome back. This isn't your student I'm afraid, rather his sibling, she arrived in the village early this afternoon. This is Manami Uchiha, the middle sibling of the Uchiha head house."

Kakashi stood agape, Sasuke's sister? The unrecovered Uchiha from the famous massacre, she stood before him watching his reaction. This time his eye widened and for a short period was lost for words, until he remembered his manners.

"Hello Uchiha-Chan." He Bowed slightly. " I am Kakashi Hatake, I was your younger brother's sensei before he left."

She smiled lightly.

"It's nice to finally meet you Hatake-Sama, Lady Tsunade has filled me in on nearly all of Teams 7's history, it's ever so interesting."

Her voice filled his ears making him internally shiver, he was right, her voice was a weapon and she was trying to disarm him with a gentle hint of amusement in those rich tones.

"Manami, I was going to ask Sakura, but can you step outside but seeing as he's here I'll ask Kakashi instead if that's ok?"

The Hokage piped up and captured his interests, ask him what? The girl nodded her agreement and grinned a little.

"Kakashi, obviously I can't put this girl on her own, she's just got her. Not only that for the sake of convenience and that it's getting late. Can you house Manami Uchiha for a few weeks? Please."

She put it so nicely, asking his permission but he read the underlining tone in her voice. This was an order, he could tell.

"It's more of a mission actually, Hatake-Sama. The Hokage needs someone she can trust to watch me whilst I prove my loyalty as a Shinobi to this village."

The Hokage smirked, the girl had been aware of her position and hid nothing from the young girl.

"It is a mission Kakashi, I know you have just got back, but the elders will have my ass if I tell them I just let her wander around. Manami understands all this and had agreed, if you can."

He sensed bad news and a hell of a lot effort upon his part especially if this girl became trouble, he could tell this girl had a nature that wasn't purely innocent, but at the moment he just couldn't put his finger on it.

"IT's no problem, my house has two rooms anyway." He flickered his glance to the Uchiha before him. "How are your cooking skills Uchiha-Chan?"

She grinned widely at him and his joke.

"Terrible."

She replied good naturedly smiling all the time. Only time would tell but she could tell, this man the lazy looking silver haired man, would be good fun.

Within the hour everything had been finalised and the two were on the way to the elders home. Although the silence between the two felt little bit awkward to them both, Kakashi could not complain as he was more concerned with getting to bed rather than entertain this stranger. But it could not be said he did not feel bad, so he tried to converse with the girl. Manami however was not much the conversationalist simply answering yes and no to most of his questions and sometimes shrugging uncomfortably when she didn't wish to reveal something. The only real answer he got from her was her age:16.

They arrived at his home and he sheepishly opened the door for her, apologising for the size and the mannish mess in the living room of dirty pots, laundry and various food rappers. He could not remember a time feeling so embarrassed, but Manami good heartedly laughed it off stated how similar the two are, cleaning was not something she valued highly, but promised to help him tidy when he was less tired.

His home was small but seemingly spacious enough for the two in her estimation, two sofa's in the corner of the room, a small wooden book shelf sat in one corner with a table in the middle of the room. behind the living room was an open kitchen with an island worktop nearly separating the living room and kitchen. Kakashi showed her up the stairs pointing out his room, bathroom and finally her room, with a double bed wardrobe and a desk. with an eye closed smile he informed her, this is the spare room, but she was freely entitled decorate if she wished. it needed a lick of paint anyway. With that little tour over, he gave his apologies and left her, to crawl into his own bed and rest.

No sooner had his head hit the pillow he was asleep and it felt like no time before he was awake again, his left shoulder being gently shook. He grumbled lightly looking up seeing the raven haired girl looking down at him with a small smile on her face, damn girl was always smiling.

"I know you're tired Hatake-Sama, but I made dinner for us both. You should never sleep after a long journey without eating my sensei told me, it's err, bad for the body, he said it confuses the mind."

He stared at her bewildered for a moment before coming to his senses, he could smell something and her words sunk in, dinner. However groggy he felt he could not deny food sounded a brilliant idea.

"Thank you Uchiha-Chan."

"Manami please Hatake-Sama, I'm just Manami."

She grinned prettily at him and she seemingly glided out of his bedroom gracefully.

Manami busied herself in the kitchen, washing a few pots before he came down. It had been a while since she had cooked for someone, let alone been in anybody else's company and in a way she cherished the idea whilst detesting it. Once she had unpacked her rucksack of the few belongings she actually had, she lay upon her bed debating her situation. Whilst she was happy to be back in Konoha, she still had a lingering sense of fright being back there. After all her clan had been massacred the day she ran away. And then the Kakashi situation, she knew the Hokage's decision had been right but she couldn't help feeling irked by the circumstances. Her stomach had soon began to protest and forced her into cooking, out of kindness to Kakashi for agreeing so easily to putting her u, she had cooked, cleaned and tidied the bottom part of his house, blushing heavily when she first found a pair of Kakashi's rather attractive looking boxers on the floor. He blushed even heavier when she thought how they could of gotten on the staircase...

"Ahh Manami-Chan, you shouldn't of cleaned up, it's my responsibility."

He thanked as he plodded down the stairs. she was just dishing up some chicken noodle soup when he came down, she turned to him after dishing up was done and grinned.

"If I couldn't do this much for my landlord, then what type of tenant would I be?"

She giggled happily as she brought two bowls of steaming food to the sofa where he sat, chopsticks already in her hands, she passed a bowl to him and gently sat on the opposite sofa.

"I hope you like Ramen, I wasn't lying when I said I was a terrible cook, but I do enjoy it."

He smiled at her but secretly worried how he would eat in front of her, as if reading his mind she smiled and lowered head and began engrossed in her food. Quickly he lowered his mask and ate as quick as he could. The sound of his bowl clinking against the table signified to her that he was done, as his mask went back up she turned her head, a nervous expression on her face.

"It was delicious. Thank you Manami-Chan, I'm glad you woke me up now. Oh and call me Kakashi by the way, please. Hatake-Sama makes me feel old."

She giggled lightly.

"Ok, Kakashi-San."

She purred.

Kakashi suddenly felt awkward again so he cleared he throat and attempted conversation.

"So, do you know if you're going to be a leaf Shinobi yet?"

"Well, thing is... I start at the academy tomorrow. Lady Tsunade wants me to learn the way of leaf shinobi from scratch, so it's up to the teacher there if I become a shinobi or not."

She replied rather sheepishly, however Kakashi was stunned. Why on earth would Tsunade decide that? Sure every ninja had to go through the academy stages but Manami was 16 and would stick out like a sore thumb.

" I can talk to Tsunade if you want, maybe sort something different out."

He offered, but the girl waved her arm in a dismissive lazy manner.

"Nah , I've already agreed. I'll do whatever it takes to be a great ninja for this village."

Her eyes twinkled with determination and Kakashi felt a swell of rare pride in him, her words almost reflective upon Naruto's determination to be Hokage.

"Have you been trained at all Manami, have you unlocked your Sharingan yet?"

At this the girl blushed and thought a little before answering.

"Well, I was privately trained for a few years, I'm good with weapons I guess and no Kakashi-san, as far as I can remember, female members of the clan don't get Sharingan."

"Really? Hm, come to think of it I've never heard of any female's having it."

"Enough about me anyway, what about you? What's your story?"

And so the two talked all evening until the late hours, Kakashi telling her some of the battle stories, speaking of friends old and new, team 7 and Manami's future. The two were engrossed in each other and what the other had done, although the age different was slightly vast the two got a long like old friends, friends the two of them could really do with.


	2. Manami's Chakra

Author note: I don't have a BETA reader, so please excuse any careless mistakes I may have made. Thank you.

Chapter Two: Manami's chakra

A week had passed since Manami Uchiha had returned to her home. As the Hokage had promised she had started at the academy almost immediately. Kakashi often wondered how she was getting on, the 16 year old girl was always silent about her days at the academy. She would say nothing, dropping her bag in her bedroom and then heading back out, only to return in the later hours of the evening. Although he was concerned for her he didn't wish to intrude and would only have a word with Iruka if he bumped into him...

One night Manami hadn't gone training, she had just gone to her bedroom and stayed there most the evening, only coming out to use the bathroom every so often. As Kakashi crept up the stairs to go to sleep, the disguisable cry floated out of her room and caught his ears. Unable to not react he opened her door unexpectedly to see the young girl in a pair of small shorts and a t-shirt, sobbing in an upright ball on the bed.

"Manami? What's.."

His sentence was cut off abruptly by the emotional Uchiha.

"I Suck alright? I try hard every day, I listen and I tried hard all the time, but I can't do a single thing! There are kids there who are 12 and 13 that can transform, replicate and use fancy family jutsu. I can't even build up Chakra!"

She sobbed hard at her confession, whilst Kakashi stood there bewildered. At that moment he felt incredibly foolish, assuming Manami would be like her brothers, a gifted genius. He remembered what she had told him the first night, that the Uchiha female's had never unlocked a Sharingan, maybe this was the reason. He thought hard about how he could help her. She can't build chakra... He thought over and over.

He sat himself next to her on her bed, placing an arm around the tiny girl. When she finally looked back up at him he gently wiped her tears away and smiled, even though she wouldn't see it.

"I think I might have an idea. Get changed and i'll take you."

She blinked a few times blankly not truly realising the real meaning in his words, she blushed and stood up to get changed when she realised he didn't mean "Take".

He waited for her downstairs albeit tiredly but he wished to help her. She didn't waste much time and came down in a kimono like robe that was black with the Uchiha clan symbol proudly displayed on her right breast, he noticed how his eye lingered over the symbol longer than it should of.

"I don't normally cry." Manami started sounded quite defiant. "The graduation exam is tomorrow and I'm going to fail..." She looked to the ground as her voice trailed off and Kakashi watched her sadly. "I'm good at taijutsu, but there's the kid...a guy, thinks I'm lying about being an Uchiha because I don't have the Sharingan..." By now she had fresh tears in her eyes and her voice started to sound bitter with hate. The jounin didn't hesitate in his action, his arm slinked over her shoulders and brought her into his vest.

"Forget everything, there's no reason to get worked up about everything. I'll help you, I promise."

As they walked he kept his arm around the dark haired teen. he had never realised just emotionally fragile she was, and expressive. He was so used to Sasuke's care free attitude to everyone he just assumed Manami would act the same.  
He directed them towards the Hyuuga complex, of course Manami didn't know where she was but he hoped Neji could help...

They wondered in to the campus together to see Hinata and Neji outside training in their gentle fist style, Kakashi's arm slipping from Manami's shoulder as they approached the two.

"Hey Neji, Hinata. Could I ask a favour."

Kakashi casually walked up to them as they stopped training, eagerly meeting Kakashi along the way.

"What can we do for you Kakashi?"

Neji asked looking at Manami obviously. She had sneakily hidden behind Kakashi in an act of shyness. Kakashi watched her with interest, such a strange little Uchiha.

"This is Manami Uchiha, she's having a little Chakra problem, can you take a look at her Chakra network please?"

Neji and Hinata stared wide eyed at the girl, both of the two's thoughts mirrored each other in disbelieve at the revelation of the new Uchiha and how easy and laid back Kakashi was about it all. Manami's little confidence shrunk either further, expecting shouts of protest, complaint and accusation, however the two were silent.

"Of course, Manami can you gather your Chakra and i'll watch."

Neji agreed activating his Kekkei Genkai. The young Uchiha stared at him in amazement and shock. Those eyes, she remembered eyes like his from when she was younger. Itachi had told her of other blood line limits in the village but she had only ever seen those of the Uchiha's Sharingan.

She broke her trance of staring at the bulging veins and sharper looking eyes to look at Kakashi before settling herself in a comfortable fighting stance, putting her hands in a Tiger hand sign and gathered Chakra like she had a million times over.

Neji's face contorted watching her, his eyes obviously seeing something hidden to the others, Kakashi had been to right to use this boys eye power. Kakashi watched as the long haired boy walked to stand in front of Manami as she struggled to build her Chakra; quite similar to how Naruto used to struggle with his he recalled.

Without warning he struck out at Kakashi's young tenant, standing in this gentle fist stance he begun hitting at the girl, counting out loud how many times he hit her. Kakashi reacted as quick as he could getting in between the Uchiha and Hyuuga, picking Manami up and back off from the boy.

"What the hell are you doing Neji!?"

Kakashi cried out as he placed a shaking Manami on the ground, she winced and looked up afraid of the boy that was younger than her.

"I'm sorry, but Manami, you're Chakra network is heavily blocked up and the only way I can open them up again is with a precise and direct hit with my gentle fist. If you'd of known initially you would have flinched."

Neji explained dully without a trace of emotion.

"Gather your Chakra again, I only got 7 but it should be easier. There are still 12 more though. Just let me do it, Okay?"

Both Kakashi and Manami looked hesitant at the Hyuuga prodigy as he advanced towards them again. It was Manami's burning desire to be a respected ninja of the village. If he could help her, she would endure anything. She mustered her strength and stood shakily, although she gathered no Chakra she felt different.

She stood again in the same position, hands in the Tiger sign. Her face contorted in concentration as she begun to build her chakra closing her eyes so she couldn't see when Neji would strike. He had been right. She felt her chakra surge round her body, almost as if there was more flowing through her. It was almost visual, imagining the chakra flowing to body parts she had often struggled to utilise.

Neji moved fast in trying to open all them as quick as he could before the girl could re-coil away from him. It was such a delicate matter, to open someone's chakra network back up. He couldn't help but wonder how it had become such a mess, to his knowledge there were not many Ninja out there that could see and affect chakra like his clan could.

With each hit her chakra flow visibly increased and as the last one struck her Chakra spiked, peaking Kakashi's interest too spiked to which he lifted his Sharingan to see everything clearly. Her blue chakra began to form around her, pulsing and weaving around her. She seemed almost oblivious to it and continued to charge her chakra, probably grateful to be able to feel it coursing through her properly. Kakashi's eyes drifted to both Neji and Hinata, the two's Byagukan staring at the girl wide eyed in fear almost. He questioned it himself until he saw the blue chakra slowly change to a deeper, darker blue and it's form changing to swirl strongly around her.

To his great relief she stopped gathering chakra and looked at them all with a great beaming smile on her face. The Purple chakra hovered lightly over began to dull down as she ran towards Neji, throwing her arms out and before the boy could react; embraced him tightly.  
Everyone relaxed, apart from the Hyuuga male, who seemed very uncomfortable in the current situation, until she pulled away glassy eyed,

"Thank you Neji-San. I can feel it, like really feel it everywhere and it's so much easier."

She sniffled lightly as she rambled on.

"Come on Manami, I need to teach you some control before your exam tomorrow. Thanks Neji, Hinata."

They both waved to the odd pair curious about that strange change in colour in Manami's chakra, all three wondered about it but the truth would have to wait, until the right time.

Kakashi watched proudly as Manami skipped up to collect her Konoha Leaf shinobi head band. He listened as Iruka praised her happily on such an impressive turn around, telling her she would easily accomplish all her goals, to that she smiled boldly picking up a blue headband similar to his own. He noticed grimly how some of the other graduates glared at Manami, perhaps these were the kids who had forced her to such a heightened emotional state that night.

After the ceremony the parent's and well wishers to the graduates all stood outside congratulating the young Genin. Manami stepped out of the door looking around, imagining briefly the moment she had looked forward to as a 10 year old girl. Her father, Mother and brothers all standing outside smiling proudly at her. She would walk up them, her Hitae-ite on her forehead and itachi would smile and ruffle her hair. Her father would kneel down to her level look her in her eyes and tell her how proud she made him; whilst her mother would cry with joy and together they would all laugh. Six years on she had to watch as other Genin lived her family fantasy and listen as they laughed and cried together.

"She's very gifted, just like her brothers before her. You'll watch out for her won't you."

She turned quickly to see Iruka and Kakashi behind her, the brown haired man smiling as Kakashi laid a hand upon her head.

"I Know, I look forward to training her. I'm very proud of her"

Manami's heart leapt. This man, a stranger to her not a week ago had acknowledged her and was soon to be her teacher. She watched him closely for fear of him lying, but she knew it was true deep down. She couldn't help her emotions get the better of her again and she sniffled lightly.

Kakashi-Sensei has a nice ring to it...


	3. Chuunin exam Part 1

Together they trained for hours every day without fail. The two of them depending upon each other to make themselves stronger. Kakashi concentrated mostly on her chakra control with the plan to bring out her Sharingan if it was possible for her wield it, whilst Manami tested Kakashi's Sharingan with her almost lightning fast agility, something he never counted on.  
He taught her as many jutsu as she could learn focusing strongly on her fire nature and other helpful techniques like the shadow clone jutsu. The only problem he found was in the year they had been together she had only learned 4 jutsu techniques, after all without the Sharingan it took her a great deal of time to learn.  
In the year her attitude had changed; he noted she cried less and less as things got more difficult she took her weaknesses less personally and strode to perfect herself. Manami had also started to act tougher after her first few missions, he remembered specifically the third mission they had been on an escort mission and the client had been taken in the dead of night by a spy in her organization and she spilt her guts out to desperately get her back. That dark blue chakra making a rather brief appearance, boosting the girls power greatly.

A week after she turned 17 it had was the Chuunin exam event and Kakashi was keen to try and Manami promoted to the rank. He had attended the meeting putting her forward, although because of the way the teams stood at the moment, entrants must enter as a pair team rather than the three man squad. For Kakashi this posed no problem, he would pair Sakura and Manami together, although the two had not yet met he was certain they would make a good team.

However in a matter of the two becoming acquainted they already were in an argument.

Sakura was glaring uncharacteristically at the dark haired girl; a glare in which the other returned just as fierce fully.

"You can't expect me to work with her, the fake. As if she's related to Sasuke-Kun."

Sakura was throwing a fit about the second name Manami held, to her credit she was calm watching Sakura throw verbal insult after insult at her. True, she didn't cry much anymore he sometimes wish she would. He noticed it was worse when she didn't cry and the teen would go off and push her body to it's very limits to the point of collapse.

"Kakashi wants us to work together for a reason, just deal with it!"

Kakashi sighed, as she grew up she had started acting more like her brothers than when he had first met her and that night had spent the evening talking and getting to know each other.  
A suitable apartment had been found for Manami quickly and within a few days of passing her Genin exam she had moved out; and Kakashi found himself quite lonely without her.

"That's right. You're both my students and it would make sense for you two to do the exam together, plus Sakura, Manami still doesn't know very many people. This would be a good chance to get to know each other."

Even before he had finished both of them had blown up in his face protesting for their own reasons, both of which he couldn't be bothered to listen to.

They had both passed the first and second exam together however but their teamwork still wasn't as Kakashi would of liked. The two didn't blend together very well and often got into fights with each other over anything.

He had only a few days to train them both for the finals, the finals being a two on two battle. He was confident in Manami's abilities with two on two but doubted Sakura would be suitable for Manami so he decided to train the two. He stood in front of them as they just finished another argument.

"You two have to start getting along for this exam otherwise you're going to fail and Sakura I'm sure you wouldn't want to lose out to Ino." He knew that would start to make the pink girl think before he turned to Manami.

"And if you don't pass, you're going to be the youngest Genin in history, do you want that?"

Manami looked at the ground with a deep scowl on her face.

He hoped that getting personal to the girls would motivate the two to work harder together...

The two had managed to get up to the semi-finals of the Chuunin exams, much to Kakashi's amazement they had spent their time well together, learning each other's weaknesses, strengths and experience. In his opinion the two made a fantastic team.  
Everything Sakura could not do Manami would be there in an instant to compensate for Sakura's weaknesses and vice versa for Manami, Sakura's strength being the main compensation for Manami's long range style.

Their next match had just been announced.

Sakura & Manami V Ino & Choji.

Sakura smirked, excited for the chance to fight against her rival her victory would be sweet, but sweeter still if it was the final match. Obviously Manami had no emotional tie to this battle, after all she hardly knew anyone in Konoha except the very few people she had met.

However Manami felt no excitement for the battle at all, there was nothing in this match to spur her on as much as Sakura was fired up. She felt no connection to anyone in the village really, only with the exception of Kakashi, of course.

The proctor stood explaining the rules of the match in vain, as no one listened, the two younger girls too fired up to fight each other, the boy Choji was munching on a snack that Manami could not make out and she herself, didn't care.

"Begin"

He called out lazily and the two B-lined straight for each other, screaming insults at each other. They came together with a collision of fists and kicks, they wasted no time in engaging in a fist fight with each and the crowd around were going wild for it.  
Manami although was not interested all she wanted to do was win the Chuunin exams and be promoted; not play these games with children. In an instant she stood behind a distracted Choji with a kunai pressed threateningly against his neck. He whimpered at the feel of the blade against his skin, disbelief and fear in his features. How had she gotten behind him without him even noticing? That too was something the crowd wondered, no one watched the Uchiha girl; most still believing the girl was a fake and paid her no mind.

"Forfeit the match Ino or i'll kill him!"

Ino and Sakura looked up in surprise. Ino looked angrier than anything though as she stomped around a bit complaining loudly.

"CHOOOOJI! HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO GET CAUGHT? I WOULD OF BEAT SAKURA!"

Manami suddenly felt sorry for the younger boy who shivered in fear at the yelling of his teammate and she could see why, the girl was absolutely furious; Manami had never seen such an angry girl before. However she could not let the boy go until the girl conceded defeat to the her and dangerously pressed the knife closer to the boys neck, earning a hiss of fear from him.

"YOU THINK YOU HAVE US BEAT, HUH? YOU...YOU FAKE!"

Ino screeched loudly her voice and her words piercing through Manami sharper than any blade. Sakura turned to look at her before turning to her friend angrily.

"WHAT THE HELL INO-PIG SHE'S STILL A COMRADE! SHE'S A TRUE UCHIHA!"

"Yeah Ino, a true Uchiha!"

In an instant, faster than anyone's eye saw Ino was suddenly faced with two angry black eyes glaring deadly into her blue orbs. Ino was locked, staring dead into those eyes.

"She's under a genjutsu. The match is ours proctor."

Manami explained from behind Choji, what stood before Ino was a clone of Manami, casting a strong enough Genjutsu to hold her still, paralysed by fear.  
The proctor stepped forward surveying the situation, it was clear Manami had dominated the battlefield, using Sakura and Ino's rivalry as the perfect way to sneak up and capture Choji and then to stay calm after Ino's insult to capture her in a genjutsu. The proctor smiled, the Uchiha had Chuunin written all over her.


	4. The tide of battle: Chuunin Exam part 2

The crowd was eerily calm, watching with baited breath as the second semi final was under way. An unknown pair from a village that most had not heard of, but the two had shown impressive strength throughout the Chuunin exams and were now locked in a heated battle with Ten-Ten and Neji.

Manami watched anxiously, she had known Neji for some time now and did not relish in battling the powerful Hyuuga prodigy, but knew if the moment came she would probably not to give her all. After he helped her the two had been out various times, for walks, training and sometimes the odd bit of food along with Ten-Ten who openly accepted friendship with the fellow Genin Kunoichi.

In a breath, the tide of the battle turned to the two brothers; Neji lay pinned roughly underneath one brother as Ten-Ten was being mercilessly attacked by the other.  
It may of been her imagination but was the one attacking Ten-Ten watching her?

She watched Sakura's reaction, her green eyes glittering with emotion, knuckles white as she gripped the railing as they watched from the box above. The pair looked at each other before deciding to intervene, clearly the match was decided and for some reason the proctor had not yet stopped the match.

The crowd gasped, hurling shouts and abuse at the interruption.

The Uchiha stood firmly between a now collapsed Ten-Ten and the unknown ninja, she had never bothered to learn him name, and now grateful she never acknowledged him before. His style disturbed her, her eyes bore heavily into his, hatred burning between each other.

The proctor had now decided to do his job, pushing the other nin off of the pinned Neji, Sakura swooped in to collect him and bring him back to a safe distance.

"I'd hoped to get your attention...Uchiha Manami. Did it work? Do I have your attention, at last?"

She didn't respond, instead her glare intensified.

"It's evident that I am your next opponent, so.. FIGHT ME!"

He roared into combat once more, sprinting at his full pace at Manami whilst his brother instantly started on Sakura.

The crowd cheered pleased by what they were witnessing, the final of the entertainment had begun instantly, usually they would be plagued with an hour wait but the ninja below seemed keen to progress.

Manami released shadow clones to get Ten-Ten and Neji safely out of the arena fighting ground and to a medic before they charged back into the battle, one supporting Sakura and the other fighting along with the original.

The copy nin's Sharingan was watching anxiously following every movement the two made. He hated to admit it but he feared for them both as Sakura seemingly struggled and Manami was trying hard not to overdo it and hurt Sakura.

"You seem pretty interested in fighting us, just who are you?"

Sakura shouted at the two brothers as the fighting seemed to die down and the two pairs regrouped again.

The four watched each other carefully a bitter wind blew through the stadium came to a stand- still, everyone waiting watching with baited breath.

"We are the Kasaguyu brothers from the hidden rock village. Tenzuko and myself Geki have come to the Chuunin exams for one reason," His paused speech looking down as he chuckled to himself darkly, his brother watched with a dark look in his eye.

"We're here to finish off the Uchiha clan and destroy the village hidden in the leaves." They both now chuckled watching their reactions. Sakura looked to Manami fear clearly in her features whilst the Uchiha glared at the two with a fierce look of hatred burning into them.

"The Uchiha before you, your fathers generation came to the rock with one intention, to slaughter us and they did, but they failed and left us alive, to avenge our clan and we will do just that." A mighty battery erupted from both brothers as they ran at the two girls their chakras flaring out wildly in a bid to intimidate. Only Sakura trembled slightly but a kind eye from Manami filled her with confidence that she would be ok.

"I don't care what those before me did, all's that matters is this moment."

Manami joined the charge, throwing kunai at the two rock ninja as Sakura followed behind her, throwing her own knives at their opponents. The two dodge with lightning fast reflexes appearing before the girls instantaneously kicking them.  
Sakura managed to dodge the in-coming attack, using her own speed to weave around, channelling Chakra into her fists to send a counter attack taijutsu to Tenzuko's face, propelling him back in the direction he came from.  
Manami, however was not so fast to react her eyes sparkled in glee as she battled with Geki, using kid gloves against him until he punched her knocking her to the ground, she rolled jumping up skilfully, launching a kick into Geki's stomach he was hurled backwards to his brother.

The two males stood tall and unfazed by the small battle they had just encountered, they looked to each other with a knowing look and a nod of their heads, they both set the signs for a clone jutsu. A clone of each of them appeared, the four of the males darting off in a formation they clearly had planned earlier.

Sakura spun around to see all of them individually.

"Manami-Chan, now what?"

The Uchiha frowned, silently waiting to see their next move.

The four males each begun forming seals in perfect sync, with their seals formed their hands shot to the ground.

"Ninja art: Light screen barrier."

Instantly a brilliant yellow light ran round connecting the four together, as a square appears it shoots up sealing the six of them inside the yellow barrier.

The crowd roared violently; some in amazement, others in outrage but most in fear. They had all heard the threat made by the Kasaguyu brothers and seeing how easily the two young girls had been caught in this jutsu worried them. Alas none worried like Kakashi did.  
His Sharingan had been up since the start, watching and gauging Chakra's, luckily neither Sakura nor Manami seemed to be showing their best hands yet, but neither had the two rock nin.  
Everyone still had their best to give and the tide of this battle lay undetermined.

Sakura's nerves shown through her attempt at a calm poker face, a thin layer of sweat coated her skin and panic pulsed through her veins. The enemy now had them trapped and the Chuunin exams no longer mattered as she realised this was more than just promotion, this was a battle for her life that the two brother's had dragged her into. She evaluated from the taller brother's speech that this was all to get revenge against her comrade, no her friend, Manami. Admittedly she may of not liked Manami at the beginning, she had foolishly listened to the villagers when they called her a fraud and judged her before she had gotten to know her, but now after battling, standing side by side in combat she knew, she realised how similar she was to the old Sasuke she had known before the Curse mark had affected him and she clung to it, like she wished she had clung onto her beloved Sasuke.

The clones disappeared reducing the numbers to four again, Manami's eyes narrowed, cold and calculating.  
She drew in a deep breath, closing her eyes, she held it deep in her lungs...

In a flash, they opened fiercely, her hands moving in a flurry of hand signs, bringing her right hand to her lips she blew out the breath she held with a force she had never known she had.

"Fire style: Grand Fireball jutsu"

She exhaled, an enormous amount of fire roared towards the rock ninja.  
Her plan was to use their own barrier against them, it hadn't left a huge amount of space and if she guessed correctly the barrier would be charged in some way so that if one was to land on or touch it, it would somehow hurt the person, although this as their jutsu, she reasoned in her own mind, they were probably adapt to fighting in these circumstances.

As the fireball slowly reduced the two rock ninja had disappeared from her vision, unable to detect their body shapes in the smoke she looked to Sakura in a moment of panic.

"Sakura, below!"

But the warning came too late as both enemy ninja burst from the earth, landing devastatingly powerful uppercuts to both girls, sending them flying up and then a follow up attack to their stomachs sent both girls crashing back down to smash on the solid brown earth.

They cried out together as they collided with the ground, Sakura seemingly worse off as blood trickled delicately down her chin from her mouth. Manami kept a stern face as she shakily rose to her feet.

Straight away Geki was on Manami, launching physical attack after physical attack, each one with a speed Manami could only just keep up with. The brother deemed Sakura non threatening as she lay unmoving on the ground as she recovered from the shock of such an assault on her young body, the brother joined the fight with Manami, making it even more difficult for her to defend herself, she could feel herself losing the fist fight, finding her moment she managed to get back a couple of inches.

She gathered her chakra to her hands as she made specific hands signs only a select few would recognise, but she needed time.  
Her hands pointed down to the ground as she began gathering Chakra.

"I'll assume, seeing as your clones were not longer needed that one of you two is controlling that barrier, something that strong won't just stand on its own, will it?"

She asked with a slight smirk.

Geki smirked back at her.

"Perceptive girl. It is irrelevant, you won't be able to strike it down. No jutsu you hold will take down a barrier such as that."

He replied smugly as he rushed at her again, disrupting her jutsu.

"Earth Style: Great rock fist."

Before she could even react, his fist poised to a punch had attracted loose rocks as they formed around his arm in such an unnatural way, in a breath he was in front of her, his fist tripled in size as it crashed sickeningly into her stomach, forcing her like a ragdoll into the barrier force field.

She had been wrong, the force field held no charge, but it was certainly solid and held a lot of resistance, her back painfully cracked against it and she smashed into the floor as gravity took over. Manami lay face first on the solid ground a way away from the fight.

Kakashi and a few others around him called out in panic. His student's were being thrown around like they were nothing and there was nothing to be done. He looked to the Hokage's viewing area to see her screaming at those around her, seemingly they were failing to find a way into the barrier. The proctor stood wide eyed as he could only watch from the ground.

It eerily reminded him of the last Chuunin exam he watched, whilst Sasuke's and Gaara's fight raged on elsewhere, the third Hokage battled his former student in similar circumstances to his students, the feeling of helplessness greatly magnified as he felt solely responsibly. They were not ready and he could see it now, Sakura he believed Tsunade would of advanced her more than this and Manami would always seem to blow away any opponent when it was him and her in combat and he knew that was his mistake. She was so used to having him to bounce off, to guide her. Now she lay seemingly unconscious as the brother's slowly rounded on Sakura.

"You're next, pink hair. Nothing personal, but I want her to watch, I want her to suffer and see what pain we've seen."

His ramblings were lost on Manami after that. Had she not suffered enough? Her clan, her family, her friends, the village she lived in after. Everything was lost.

_This suffering...is caused by those around me...I have been made to watch and I suffer every day. Why? They've suffered too, at my clans will to see their lives ended. Such a cursed life of the Shinobi... Do I deserve to die, should they have their revenge?_

_What do I have left to give to this world but more suffering? More pain!_

Sakura arose from the ground, shaking as she did so...

_They'll kill her, to get to me, to make my suffering greater...But what can I do, I'm too weak...Am I even worthy of the Uchiha name anymore?_

The pink haired girl rose her kunai bravely in defence...

_Sakura...I couldn't protect you. I'm sorry, my friend..._

"Manami, please get up!"

The green eyes never leaving the teasingly slow walk the brother's took to her.

_She's calling me? Why? What use am I now?_

"I won't let them kill you Manami...You're my teammate, my comrade a fellow leaf shinobi and my friend."

Tears spilled from those sparkling green eyes, she was so afraid.

_Friend...?Friend?  
"Those who break the rules are scum..."_

Kakashi's words pierced sharply from her memory.

_"But those who abandon their friends are worse than scum..."_

The black Uchiha eyes rose up in recognition, she had vowed to protect the village, to protect her friends and to protect her sensei, no matter what and Kakashi had passed on those words that he had learned the way he way, claimed from his closest friend...

Geki Charged at Sakura, his own Kunai in his hands whilst his brother stayed back.

Manami rose as quick as she could, although to her it felt like a life time before she felt steady on her feet as she took off running to Sakura.

_I won't make it...I will make it...I have to make it...I won't lose another friend!_

A bright dark blue flash erupted behind Manami as she ran, her eyes widened in fear for Sakura's life.

_No, it's too late._

The green eyes looked on at the older black male eyes that now loomed over her.

"NOW DIIIIEEE!"

He roared as he viciously brought his kunai down. A light hiss rang out as a sudden cloud of purple smoke appeared from nowhere.

The crowd hushed to a tense silence as the sound of heavy liquid spilt and splattered out...


	5. In her favour

The arena was deadly silent. After the smoke bomb had been dispersed no one dared to make a sound out of fear of missing a crucial sound of battle, they strained their ears to hear anything, a single sign that the two girls were alright. They waited anxiously as the smokescreen began to fade away, a burning sulphuric acidic smell invaded the senses of those around. Silhouettes' were barely visible but the fading smoke soon revealed a frightening situation.

Sakura lay on the ground staring up at the figure that stood before her, her green eyes wide and her mouth hung open in a mixture of shock and terror. The green eyes were fixed upon the red and white fan symbol on her teammates back. The jumpsuit had been specially made by request of their Sensei a few weeks before the finals began and he presented it to her the day before the fights. The silver haired jounin had stated how it made to proudly display the Uchiha crest for her and when she first stood out into the crowd in the reaction what split down the middle. Some cheered whilst others spat out hateful words in anger. Though Sakura felt no envy, she could see the two had a special bond, she never expected to see it the back of her in such a situation.

The dark haired girl was hunched over to left; she stood barely, her hair and right hand covering her face, her left arm holding her own body up for support. She was a complete mess.

She had deployed the smoke bomb to try and confuse her enemy, forcing her body to respond to her hearts desperate wish. In that instant all she wanted to do was save Sakura, save her friend.

But the cost was great and she knew she had put herself in a great risk.

Manami's back raised harshly with each intake of breath and her body shuddered in pain as she exhaled. The collision of the rock ninja's re-enforced rock punch had broken multiple bones in her rib cage, the impact on the barrier and then the ground only made matter worse. She had never gotten herself into such a sorry, mangled state before. With sheer will power she had forced herself up to continuously push more and more chakra to her feet to make it in time.

Only just had she managed to push Sakura out of the way, taking the kunai knife attack instead of the pink haired girl.

Kakashi could see the scene now, his keen Sharingan helping him. In those few moments he truly despaired. His thoughts first with Sakura, if she could of defended herself in such a circumstance, but seeing the beaten up Manami rush to her aid, the dark blue Chakra making an appearance sparked something in him he had not felt in such a long time, panic. A million thoughts raced through his genius mind but none made sense. He envisioned Manami's death over and over, and it frightened him more than he could comprehend. His funny little student, his sweet and kind hearted friend. The girl, upon his first encounter, cleaned his apartment, cooked him food and laughed with him. How could he ever bare to lose her?

The crowd cheered loudly, chanting praise and respect for the girl as she began to slowly, ever so slowly raise her head.

Blood pooled around the ground as it dripped beautifully down her pale face. A deep gash running from the left side of her forehead, down past her nose and under her right eye spilt a generous amount of blood on the ground, that sound the crowd had heard was from the kunai slicing the pretty girls face.

She heaved in and out her breathing painful and laboured. She shifted, her right hand no longer cradled the sore cut along her face as she dragged it down her face, blood following the trail her fingers made. To her everything was silent, except the beating in her ears.

She felt different. A constant beat louder than any drum pounded away in her ears, a steady growl, almost detectable underneath the repetitive sombre sound.

_What is this feeling?_

Her eyes darted around the ground. Her blood on the floor was so clear, so sharp. The colours standing out as the contrasted against the muddy earth colours.

She shifted again, her left arm pushing her up from her lean. She was determined to at least stand strong. Her senses coming back to her, the drum beat quietening down, the crowd cheering and a sneering laugh.

Geki was laughing at the Uchiha girl, pleased with how weak and vulnerable she looked, the blood dripping from her face, her defeated posture.

"You're lucky, I'll kill you first instead Manami, I'll avenge my clan and bring down the Uchiha. I'll show the world just how pathetic the name Uchiha is, when it's brought it's knee's by us, the Kasaguyu brothers!"

His words meant nothing to her but his laughter was pissing her off and she could no longer stand the resentful cackle any longer.

She rose to her full height with a struggle, her hair covering her face and most of the wound on her face.

"I'll tell you what I intend to tell my brother..."

Geki hushed as she spoke, her body looking less pathetic now.

She looked up with a fierce snap of her head, her hair flicked out dramatically as she revealed her face.

Everyone but Manami gasped at the sight of the girl now.

"...revenge will achieve you nothing!"

Her once black eyes now blazed in a majestic blood red, a tomoe on each eye around a small black pupil sat in her socket. A new Sharingan user had been born.

Once again the crowd roared to life, looking upon the Uchiha they cried of praise and honour, those who had not believed before were now witnessing proof enough for them to take back their words and eat them.  
Kakashi looked in a stunned silence, his student looked so different. He had expected her to awaken it someday, just not at such an early stage in her development. Even though she was 17 she still had difficulty controlling chakra, learning jutsu and even her hand to hand combat needed work, but he planned to train her well and expected it to emerge when she had more of a mastery. But to see it come forth in battle, when in such desperate circumstances was such a proud moment for him to witness. Not only had she done this however she seemed completely different, although her body was nearly destroyed she held herself with respect and confidence, her face seemed to of matured in a matter of minutes and to him, he had never seen such a beautiful woman before.

"To take your revenge on me was justified but to attack my friend was unforgiveable. I won't let you hurt her or the village."

Her voice grew with anger into a twisted cry of anguish. Her first move was almost too fast for Geki to see as she appeared before him, punching him harshly square in the face. She didn't wait to see him fly back as she ran towards the other brother, her hands forming signs for the special technique her beloved sensei had taught her in the month they had to train. Whilst her outer body was a raged mess, her inner being was tranquil as the chakra flowed and it's nature changed. A quick powerful surge of blue chakra crackled in her palm.

"Lightning blade!"

She cried, forcing her Sensei's jutsu into the stomach of the shorter brother, the force of the attack not enough to pierce all the way through him, but enough to send him smashing into the opposite side of the barrier jutsu. It was not her intention to kill someone today.

"TENZUKO!"

Geki cried out as he watched his brother land on the floor unconscious after the vicious attack from the angered Uchiha. Her Sharingan locked with the Rock nin's.

"Bitch...Bitch, bitch BITCH!"

He chanted over and over, his voice gradually getting louder.

"Earth style: Mud tsunami."

His hands weaved a quick sign and he brought them down to the ground.

Manami smirks as she forces another lightening style attack into her palm, this time throwing her hand down at the ground too.

"LIGHTNING BLADE!"

She shouts as the bolts of lightning surge through the ground and up at her opponent.

"Your earth style is inferior to my lightning style, Geki. Now what will you do?"

She asked as she walked slowly over to Sakura.

"Are you alright Sakura-Chan?"

She asked sweetly whilst the blood and the Sharingan contradicted any kind feature on her face.

Sakura was about to answer when a shadow loomed over them, just in time Manami turned to see the giant rock fist mere inches from her face. Her Sharingan eyes widening in panic and desperation.  
It seemed there was no other way...

She caught the rock encrusted fist with the sudden explosion of dark blue chakra powering through her body. She blocked the attack with her left hand as her right hand clutched around her stomach in pain. She screamed out in agony as a burning sensation filled her Chakra network erupting from her stomach.

The strange chakra swirled around her malevolently, it's nature quickly becoming erratic as it's hue deepened into a light purple, dark purple until it finally settled on a spiking black chakra.

Her eyes closed tightly as the pain quickly became unbearable, like a thousand tiny senbon needles travelling through her blood at lightning speeds. She screamed out again, strange markings etched onto her face, two thin red lines appeared on her face like a tear stain of blood and her canines grew longer and sharper.

_This Chakra, who knew it would feel like this..._

She winced as the Chakra had seemingly settled to forming a protective cloak around her and Sakura, whilst trying to over-power the assault from Geki.

"It wasn't my intention to try to kill you, but when need's must. I will always protect my village and my friends."

Her right arm shot straight down, the black chakra forming a black sphere in her hand of concentrated chakra.

Her red eyes pierced those before her as she launched the new attack at his stomach, upon contact the chakra erupted into a large stream, carrying him back with the attack she lost her grip on his arm.

"GARAIDEN!"

Geki flew backwards as the stream of black chakra sent him hurtling into his yellow barrier, as his chakra weakened the barrier crumbled with an almighty shatter. The Rock nin lay helpless on the floor, his body devastated from the after math of the attack.

As the barrier fell, numerous Jounin arrived onto the scene assessing the condition of the two rock ninja laying unconscious on the ground. One of the jounin to hit the battle field first was Kakashi as he rounded on Sakura, she still lay on the ground heavily beaten up and breathing harshly. Manami stood listening to the cheers from the crowd, hearing them properly for the first time in their battle, she realised they were applauding her efforts. She frowned sadly, the black chakra and Sharingan vanishing from exhaustion.

She wavered slightly, her eyes closing as her mind and body become blank, she falls backwards with a small smile on her face, unconscious before she even hit the ground.

***Author notes***

1)Sorry if this seemed rushed. It was rushed, the Chuunin exams was something I needed but didn't want but now it's done, yay.

2)Please don't be too confused about the 'Garaidon' and the black Chakra, it'll be explained.

Thank you~


	6. An explination, since that day

_Hello beloved readers,_

_I was hoping by now I would of had a few reviews from those reading but alas I am now on Chapter 6? And haven't had anything yet.  
I wonder if it is a good thing or a bad thing?  
If I might be so cheeky to ask, if you could please let me know how you feel the story is progressing and characters and plot etc.  
Also, does anybody actually like my OC?_

_I'd very gratefully appreciate it from the bottom of my heart._

_Thank you and enjoy._

Manami awoke from unconsciousness dazed. To her she had closed her eyes and fallen backwards an eerily calm sense washing over her after the utter chaos that had previous threatened everything she held dear, her body felt heavy as lead as she fell after it having given up on her as her mind did; And now she woke feeling lost in the empty white room and no noise to explain anything.

Where had her Chaos gone, the chaos she felt so adapt to after forcing her way through it so desperately?

She shuffled in her single bed the thin white sheets slipping down to her waist as she sat up uncomfortably. Her mind registered her injuries; the heavy cast on her right arm, with a subtly movement of her brows she noted a bandage wrapped safely over her forehead and various cuts, slashes and bruises scattered over what she could see. Each wound re-counted the battle to her, the cut on her forehead from her panicked decision, forcing her body to move to reach Sakura and take that hit instead of her friend. The bandage on her arm she knew was from her last attack, she knew and had felt as the chakra she had pushed and pushed ripped at her skin, muscle and bone again an act of desperation, possibly a little exaggerated on her behalf, there was really no need to put everything last bit of chakra into that last attack but she daren't of risked it.

Her stomach grumbled unpleasantly, a sure sign to the girl that she had been unconscious a while ago. Manami felt she was an avid eater taking the time to eat 4 meals a day, the emptiness she felt now was vaster than anything she had felt before, even when she had starved herself in the past when necessarily trying to make her way to salvation after the Uchiha Massacre.

She sniffed into the air the obvious cleanly smell of the Konoha infirmary clung to everything it could in the hospital, she couldn't help but wrinkle her nose at how intrusive the smell was to her. An under tone nestled into certain objects in the room, a familiar husky scent of her mentor clung to the bed sheet on her left side, the side of the door to her room.  
'So he's around somewhere, or at least has been?'

She thought to herself making a foolish decision to try and track someone down for answers and food.

Manami had gotten as far as rolling onto her left side, her good side before a white uniform burst through the door, shrieking at her wildly to get back into her bed. The black eyes shot up in panic before she fell out of the bed in freight, clearly not expecting to see another human being so suddenly after making the move to free herself from the bed.

Her body landed heavily with a thud and she groaned in agony, her body hadn't hurt that much when she shifted about, surely a small crash landing wouldn't, shouldn't of made so much of a difference. She rolled onto her back with another groan, noticing for the first time a pair of dull blue 3/4 length pants and a deep burgundy shirt on her chest, on the front the Uchiha symbol sat proudly over her breasts and stomach.

"You idiot, couldn't just stay in bed could you. Have to act all heroic still."

Droned the voice of her sensei as she stepped into the room.

She paid him no mind, too embarrassed and flushed to look at his expression, knowing full well he'd probably either be smug or mocking her.

He sighed as he pushed further into the room taking his time in making his way over to her limp body on the tiled, cold floor of her room before scooping her up a wince escaping her sweet lips as held her to him protectively, then placed the delicate young woman back onto her bed his eyes showing his smile.

She mumbled a thank you in a childish type of defiance. He had only helped her out but she took the gesture as a controlling form of dominance over her.

'Stay here and lie pathetically will you please Manami.'  
She imagined him to think watching as he drew the covers over her legs, resting it at her hips.

"Good to see you awake Manami Uchiha,"

The Hokage praised striding into the room, checking her charts as Shizune walked into the room the micro pig wrapped securely in her arm, the blonde then made her way to the window sitting herself upon the ledge as her sensei casually sat himself on the bed near Manami's side.

"I think you have a lot to tell us don't you!"

Her tone changed, an authoritive tone took control making the raven hair worry.

"When you arrived back here we didn't ask questions, we accepted you, but the exposure you displayed, that sudden change in chakra has the elders worried Manami and suspicious."

Kakashi filled in less worryingly.

So, they had come for answers Manami concluded to herself mentally nodding her head.

'Perhaps, it is time.'

"No more secrets,"

The elders in the room shifted, not realising how easily she would give up her information and past life, they prepared themselves for the truth.

"I'll just explain it all, in one go 'kay? That chakra's got you worried right? Don't panic it's not a tailed beast or anything worrying, I think. The elder's of the village I lived in explained it as a collection of Chakra, a link between those who dwelt in the village and it was stored as a defensive lifeline to a chakra source in preparation of an impending attack. When the attack came 3 years ago , the young Genin and Chuunin of the village were all put in front of the chakra to be selected for a host, although the chakra chooses whom it wants it rejected everyone else and so I was pushed in front and it reacted, sealing itself inside me. I don't know what it is, but the more I use the lifeline the more I think it is more of a physical entity than just a collection of Chakra..."

She paused for a minute watching the expression of those in the room change from understanding, horror, panic, fear and confusion all in a matter of seconds. She frowned as she continued.

"The village was under attack, an ex leaf ninja had come in hopes to claim the chakra for his own, I never saw his face nor knew of his name. I just remember black hair...  
He destroyed the village and slaughtered anyone who opposed him. The village leader and eldest urged me not to fight, to take the Chakra and save myself. I didn't plan on returning to the leaf, but I just, ended up here after wandering for so long."

She stopped her tale the recollection was nothing she had not done before, she was missing great chucks of her past out, the screams of the villagers, the manic laughter of the bringer of destruction and the panic in the old man eyes as he argued and pleaded with Manami to run away, although it went against every fibre of her moral code she didn't feel in control as she ran south, as far away as she could.

The room was silent each of them processing the story, drawing their own conclusion of events. Tsunade had instantly expected her old teammate to be the cause of the attack, whilst Kakashi had pondered if Itachi had caught wind of Manami's survival and had gone to finish the job he started all those years ago...

"What ever that Chakra is, using it in combat like you did was incredibly dangerous and reckless. Kakashi tells me it's the first time it's transitioned in colour and you've used it in an assault before, but your mastery over it was something else. Were you in control Manami?"

Tsunade spoke up watching the black orbs look down in thought.

"At first no, it felt like it was bursting out of me, but when it simmered down, I did after then..."

The Hokage and her aid looked at each other before the blonde nodded, seemingly satisfied with what Manami had told her, it was never her intention to interrogate the girl, she had just woke up after saving her comrade and no doubt the village itself whilst having just unlocked her Sharingan, proving once and for all her lineage.

"We'll leave you to rest up, congratulations on everything you achieved in that battle Manami and thank you. Kakashi, i'll let you tell her."

She trailed off as her and Shizune left the room without another word, leaving Kakashi feeling awkward under his student's confused gaze. She had been smiling up until the point of 'You tell her..'

He shuffled on the bed rubbing the back of his head, trying to find the right words to explain the situation to his precious student, although he knew she wouldn't appreciate sugar coating or him stalling.

"That attack you used, I don't know where you learnt it, but it's extremely hazardous to your health. Neji's father had to readjust your arms chakra network, otherwise you'd of lost your arm. The chakra was bursting out of it and it was uncontrollable, to see it with my Sharingan was almost frightening Manami... Underneath your cast, your arm is scolded bright red, it will heal but that's only one small effect from your Jutsu."

Manami listened with wide eyes as her vision fixated on the chunky cast.

"I knew I'd forced too much Chakra into that attack Sensei, but I panicked...Sakura she was..."

She stopped as her vision blurred from a sudden onslaught of emotion, tears welling in masses in her eyes quickly falling down her cheeks and onto the bed covers.

Kakashi's eye softened, knowing how stressful the ordeal must have been for her, Sakura herself shed tears to Ino after she came to as he stood back and watched. This time he leaned in, gently wrapping his strong arms around the weeping girl, his right hand comforted the back of her head, his fingers gently rubbing her hair it almost felt like she imagined the ghost like contact on her skull. Her good arm hesitantly found itself on his waist as she slowly began to accept the comforting gesture, her heart rate sky rocketing and the colour of her face gradually turning a slight red in the cheeks.

That was the first non-teacher like gesture Kakashi had ever given anyone who was ever under his tutoring, something new had started between the two and since that day a new relationship and bond began to form...


End file.
